Oppn demands CCTV footage of Khaunte incident

Panaji: The proceedings on the last day of the budget session in the state legislative assembly began on a stormy note on Friday, with a protest by the Opposition MLAs over the midnight arrest of Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte.

Police had arrested Khaunte for allegedly threatening BJP
spokesperson Premanand Mhambre. Khaunte was then taken to Porvorim police
station and later released on bail.

Wearing black ribbons on their arms as a mark of protest,
the members on the Opposition bench said that the complaint against Khaunte
was ‘bogus’. They urged Speaker Rajesh Patnekar to file a police
complaint against Mhambre, as the incident was reported within the premises of
the assembly complex, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Speaker. They
also sought access to the CCTV footage of the incident.

“What we demand in the assembly has to be given
immediately, as it is suo motu. Today, with the signatures of all the
Opposition members, I am again asking you to give me the CCTV surveillance
footage, consent letter given to arrest me and any other information that you
or your office has provided to the police for my arrest,” Khaunte said.

“Everyone has put up the issue before you but no decision
is coming out. May be some pressure is around. But what has happened with me
today can happen with anyone next. The
incident is a clear indication that any MLA, Zilla Panchayat member, panchayat
member or any common man can be arrested by filing such a complaint,” he
further said.

The leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat pleaded
before the Speaker that he should resolve the issue.

Patnekar expressed his inability to fulfill their demand.
“Yesterday, you disrupted the House…Unnecessarily how can I go and file a
complaint? I have acted as per the police report,” the Speaker said in response
to the Opposition MLAs and adjourned the House for one hour which resulted in
no legislative work being carried out during the question hour.

Later, all the ten Opposition MLAs, in a written
application submitted to the Speaker, demanded CCTV footage of the incident,
the ‘report’ of the Porvorim police seeking the consent of the Speaker to
arrest Khaunte and any other information pertaining to the particular incident.

After the session commenced at 12:30 pm, Deputy Speaker
Isidore Fernandes took over the Speaker’s chair and started the proceedings.
The ten Opposition MLAs then gathered in the well of the House raising slogans
such as ‘shame, shame’ and ‘we want justice’ after which the Deputy Speaker
ordered the marshals to remove Khaunte and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai from the
House. The remaining eight MLAs staged a walkout.